1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to joint structure for a window dummy which is commonly used as a display mannequin. More particularly, the invention relates to an easily movable joint structure for a window dummy, which joint comprises a ball-shaped connection means capable of revolving and swinging.
2. Description of Prior Art
A window dummy has been well known as a display doll device to display dresses and the like in a show-window. Although a commonly used window dummy is figured to imitate the human body, recently used dummies are formed in various shapes and made of various materials.
Further, such window dummies are generally provided with movable arms, neck, legs, hands, waist and so on, to freely change their postures so as to fit any dresses and any display scenes. For example, a light weight and plate shape dummy is provided with rod shape arms and legs made of flexible material. Since this flexible rod does not require any joints, it can be freely bent at any desired position and any desired angle.
On the other hand, a human-body like dummy is also provided with many movable joints to vary its display posture. Various movable joint structures capable of revolving and swinging are well known.
For example, one typical movable joint structure comprises a ball-shaped connection means whose opposite ends are respectively secured to rods used as an arm or leg. The ball-shaped connection means is composed of two hemispheres which can be turned around each other for 360.degree. about a pivot through a thrust bearing. In the ball-shaped connection means, each of the arm and leg rods is rotatably fixed by a bolt or the like so as to bend the arm or leg. The surface of the ball-shaped connection means is further formed with a slit by which the rod of the arm or leg can be rotatably moved for 90.degree. along the surface.
In another example of ball-shaped connection means, each contact surface of the hemispheres is formed with fine recesses and fine projections, and the hemispheres are forcibly in contact with each other by a coil spring or the like. In order to bend the joint according to this structure, the hemispheres are forcibly separated and turned to a desired angle against the spring force by an operator.
When the window dummy is used for displaying dresses, the dummy joints should have a good appearance and should be easily and freely bent to a desired angle.
The first movable joint structure discussed above, does not have a good appearance because the ball-shaped connection means is formed with the slit and causes a problem because the rotating angle of the arm or leg rod is limited to only 90.degree..
The second example of the ball-shaped connection means discussed above also has a disadvantage in the way the joint is adjusted to vary the posture of the dummy. Since the hemispheres are always subjected to the spring force, the separating and turning operation of the hemispheres requires a relative strong force to move the dummy to a required posture, or to move the dummy in order to put a dress on or take a dress off the dummy. The joint adjusting work will be repeated on respective joints. Thus, persons who are not very strong such as women, will find it difficult to adjust the posture of this type of window dummy.